Collapsible catafalque



June 18, 1

M. LANGE COLLAPSIBLE GATAFALQUE Filed May 24, 1939 AWE/V705: MORRISLANGE 5 /%1Z% Patented June-1 8, 1940, 2 g

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE CATAFALQUE Morris Lange,Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to Superior Funeral Supply Corp. 7

" ApplicationxMayild,1939, Serial No. 275,413 12 Claims. (cl. 27-1) Thisinvention relates to biers or catafalques horizontal platform 20 whichis of a size slightly and particularly to the portable folding type usedsmaller than the bottom of the case Ill. Aflixed 'in churches, funeralparlors or private homes to the under side of the platform 20, runningand especially for funerals of smaller persons. lengthwise of theplatform and adjacent to its The primary object of the invention is toprofour corners, thereare two pairs of aligned rails 5 vide a'catafalquethat may be quickly andeasily 2i which are directly over the tracks li.-The folded. top ends of the crossed legs l5 are provided with Anotherobject of the invention is to provide small rollers or pins 22 whichengage the rails *a device of this type that is,"when collapsed, self-2i in exactly the same manner as the pins .I8' contained andtansportable as a single, compa'ct engage the tracks H. The rear of theplatform 10 and lightweight .nit. 20 is provided with a. verticalback-stop 23 which A further object of the invention is to use theserves as a stop or guide for the casket to be carrying case as a base.placed on the platform and also as a brace to These and other objectsand features ofthe strengthen the platform. I y invention will becomeapparent from a study of The, secondary support member also referred 15the following description and. claims together to herein as the foldingstandard consists of awith the accompanying drawing, in which likeseries of crossed levers 25 assembled in the man-. parts-are designatedby like reference characters er of lazy-tongs so that they may becollapsed and wherein: or extended as desired. The lower pair of crossedFigure 1 is a front. view of the collapsible levers a are a littlelonger than the others go catafalque with parts of the curtain cut awayconnected thereto and their lower arms are pivotto show the foldingframework; ally connected to the pins 22 and are actuated Figure 2 is aside elevation of the' folding by the legs l5. framework; a The upperpair of crossed levers 251) are a little 25 Figure 3 is an enlarged sideelevation of the shorter than the other levers 25 connected there- 25automatic tilting bracket'which supports the top to. Their short endsare pivotally connected to horizontal arms; the short arms 26 so as toform a folding parallel- Flgure 4 is a front elevation of part of theogram in which two obliquely opposite or cross tilting bracket whichview is taken along the lines corners are in horizontal andperpendicular posi- 30 l--l of the Figure 3; and tions respectively. Thepivot pins 2'la'and 2lb' Figure 5 is a front view of the framework whichare in perpendicular alignment are a little folded inside of thecarrying case base or support. longer than the other pivot pins 21, inorder to The collapsible catafalque of this invention accommodate thebracket member hereinafter consists broadly of a base, primary supportmemdescribed.

her, a secondarysupport member, horizontal arm The horizontal foldingarm member consists 35 membersflanda drapedc'urtain supported by the ofa central rod 30 to which there is hingedly aforementioned 'niembers.{attached two side arms 3|. The central rod 30 The base member,sometimesreferred to herein' and the side arms 3| are bent or shaped as as thecase-base is simply arectangular trunkdesired to form the top outline ofthe draped like box. i0 provided with a cover [0a. The insidecatafalque, somewhat like the design shown in 9 bottom of the case IIIhas two pairs of aligned the Figure 1. 3, The central rod 30 is about as40 tracks ll running lengthwise of the case and long as the boxmemberill and fits therein. The near to the ends thereof. arms 3ifold-inward and also fit into the case The primary support memberconsists of two when so folded. Conventional wing nuts 32 on pairs ofcrossed legs l5 pivotally' attached tothe hinges, when tightened-keepthe rod 30 and 4 gether at their centers with the'pins l6. Each the arms3| in a substantially rigid condition.

" pair .of aligned legs are connected together and Because of the factthat the horizontal. arm spaced with therods ll, Na and ,ilb. Theremember configuration is normally in a vertical being two 'such'rods i1below the pivot plus it position it is desirable in order to' savepacking and the'two rods Ho and Nb above the pivot space to fold the armmembers flatly or horipin IG. The bottom ends of the legs-i5 areprozontaliy in the case"). For this purpose the 50 'vided with-smallrollers or pins l8 which move special tilting bracket illustrated in theFigures along the tracks Ii. The connection between the '3 and 4 isprovided. Furthermore, as it is also tracks II and the pins l8 beingsuch that they desirable to hang the draped curtains 45 a slightcannotb'e readily separated. I distance in front of the folding standardso that Supportedby the crossed legs I! there is a whenpacking andcollapsing the device the curfor a short distance.

min 45 is not pinched or cut by the crossed levers 25.2511 and 25b, thespecial bracket heretofore referred to serves a dual purpose; in that,it also supports the arm member slightly forward of the pivot pin 21a,there is a folding link or yokemember herein referred to as a trus 4|.The top end of the truss 4| is hingedly connected to the end 39 of thehorizontal leg 38; the bottom end of the truss 4| is hingedly connectedto the pivot pin 21a; and the mid-section of the truss 4| folds on thepin 42, so'that when the pin 21a is slid upward in the slot 31, the pin42 will project forward and' the upper end of the truss 4| will tiltfrom a substantially vertical position to a horizontal position.

The central rod 30 of the horizontal arm member is rigidly mounted onthe upper portion of the truss 4i quite close to the forward end 39 ofthe horizontal leg 38. The Figure 4 clearly shows the alternatepositions of the truss 4i and the central rod 30 in broken lines andthus indicates the relative positions of the parts when the device isfolded and packed. The movement of the truss 4| and the arm 30 isautomatic and depends upon the extension of the support members.Collapsing the supports completely will automatically bring the armmember 30 in a lateral horizontal position while extending the supportsit and 26 to their limit, will automatically bring the arm member III toits vertical .po+ sition.

The drape or curtain 45 is made of any suitable material which will notcrush or wrinkle when creased or folded. The top portion may be shirredand is provided with a means suitable for attachment to the central rod30 and to the folding arms ll attached thereto. When mounted on theopened device the curtain hangs a little forward of the secondarysupport member I! and completely conceals from front view the topportion of the folding metal framework.

A similar drape or curtain 48 is mounted on the long forward edge andtwo short sides of the platform Ill so that thefront and sides of theprimary support member I! and the case-base It are completely concealedfrom view.

An automatic locking device is provided which retains the metal frame inthe open or extended .position. This consists of a simple catch elementor hooked rod .41 hingedlymounted on the top space rod I'Ia. This hookedrod 41 has an inverted U-shape'd crook 44 at the point where it couldengage\,the-adjacent space rod "b. The rod 41 extends outward almost tothe edge of the platform 20 and its extreme end 49 serves .asaconvenient handle for releasing thecrook 44 when it is desired in orderto fold the device.-

When opening the device the crook 4! automatically engages the rod l1and snaps into engagement therewith.

The advantages of this device over prior art devices may be brieflypointed out in that the device is almost completely automatic in itserection. By simply. removing the cover Ila of the case, lifting the armmember 34 until the catch rod 41 snaps into place-and then setting thefolding arms M with the wing nuts 32, the catafalque is ready for use.-By utilizing the individual special carrying case as the base of thestructure it may be easily packed and conveniently trans: ported withall of the necessary parts always properly packed so as to' eliminateunnecessary wear and tear. I

. It will now be clear that there is provided by this invention acollapsible catafalque which'accomplishes the objects of the invention.While the invention has been described in a special form and whilecertain general terms and special language have beenused, it is to beunderstood that the embodiment of the invention as described issuggestive only and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. It isto be further understood that there may be other forms or e adaptationsof the invention and those modifications are also considered to bewithin the broad scope of the invention as no limitatiors upon it vareintended other than those imposed thereon by the scope'of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

l. A collapsible catafalque comprising in combination, a base member, aprimary support member having an extension means thereon receivable bythe base member, -a secondary support member having an extension meansthereon receivable by the base member and connected to the primarymember, and curtains mounted on the support members and receivable bythe base member, the said support members and curtains being extendablefrom the said base member. a

2. A collapsible catafalque, comprising in combination, a hollow basemember, support members having curtains thereon mounted, in and 4. In acatafalque, a collapsible frame, com I prising in combination, a basemember, a primary support member receivable by the base member, asecondary support member actuated by the primary support member, and afolding means on the support members and means in the base memberproviding for compacting all of the members together.

5. In a catafalque, a collapsible frame, comprising in combination, acase-base member, a

platform-member, a. collapsible stand supporting the platform member onthe case-base member, folding arm members, a collapsible standardsupporting the folding arm members on the said platform member, the saidstandard being connected to and actuated by the said stand, and a meanson the said supporting mem rs for. retaining them in an uncollapsed posiion.

6. In a catafalque, a collapsible frame, comprising in combination, acase-base member, a stand member mountedon the case-base member andhaving a platform thereon, a standard member mounted on the stand memberand having arms together.

8. In a catafalque, a collapsible frame, com- I prising in combination,a case-base member, a primary support member mounted in the casebasemember, a standard member mounted on the primary support member, anautomatically tilting bracket member mounted on the standard member andactuated thereby,. and horizontal arms members mounted on the saidbracket member.

9. In a catafalque, a collapsible frame, comprising in combination, acase-base member having tracks therein, a stand member having a casketreceiving platform thereon, means on the stand member for engaging thesaid tracks, and

a secondary support member mounted on the saidst'and member, the saidstand member and the said support member being simultaneously,collapsible into the case-base member.

10. In a catafalque, a collapsible frame, comprising in combination, abase member, a col- ,tical to a horizontal position.

lapsible primary support member mounted on the base member, a standardmember mounted on and engaged with the support member, a collapsible andturnable bracket member mounted on and engaged with the standard member,means. for simultaneously collapsing the standard member and turning thebracket member, and a cross arm having foldable ends mounted on thebracket member and horizontally turnable upon the collapsing of thesupport and 7 standard members.j

11. A collapsible catafalque, comprising in combination, a base member,a folding primary support member receivable by the base member andconnected thereto, the. said primary support member having a platformthereon suitable for retaining a casket when in an expanded formation, afolding secondary support member connected to the primary support memberand foldable on the said platform when in a contracted formation, andcurtains mounted on and concealing the said support members and the basemember.

12. In a catafalque of the type having a collapsible standard'and.curtain supporting arms, a tilting bracket comprising, a rod memberattached tothe said standard, and a yoke member pivoted on the rodmember, attached to the sup-. porting arms, and linked to thesaidstandard in a manner whereby the collapsing of the standard turn thesaid supporting arms from a ver- MoaRIs LANGE.

